Table of the Elements
The mix of Mottahedeh Imperial Blue and wood grain evokes Rodarte Spring/Summer 2011.
The biggest trend in dinnerware is having fun with it, says Mottahedeh president Wendy Kvalheim, on a recent visit to Neiman Marcus in Dallas. Mottahedeh dinnerware stands for history and heritage, but that doesn’t have to translate to stuffy table settings. Try using ornate patterns for everyday, mixing and matching patterns and texture in fun combinations, and finding creative new uses for dishes, says Kvalheim. A pot de crème can hold a candle, or a crescent bone dish can become an interesting salad plate.
“People are afraid to make mistakes with fine porcelain and china, but there really are no rules. We are seeing a big move towards using fine dishes in a more causal way,” says Kvalheim. Mottahedeh isn’t too precious to take a spin in the dishwasher, either.
Important style note: fussy tablecloths are out; exposing your beautiful table is in.
Table settings have also evolved. For Thanksgiving, Kvalheim makes each place setting unique by using different complimentary patterns of dishes, then she unifies the table with a set of charger plates (which can also double as large plates).
Mottahedeh has won a fan in the designer Derek Lam. You would imagine Lam taking the same sleek approach to the interior of his SoHo loft that you see on his runway. But in the May issue of Elle Décor, Mottahedeh Imperial Blue plates find their way onto Lam’s list of the 12 things he can’t live without. He likes to mix the Mottahedeh Imperial Blue with Jaune de Chrome’s Tortoise. (As seen above.)
The new eclecticism in table styling looks so chic, it could have come straight off the catwalks.
Above: Match pewter stem glasses, Mottahedeh Dupaquier bowl, Michael Wainwright dinner plate, Mottahedeh Prosperity charger, Dibbern cup & saucer, JL Coquet desert plate, Val Peltro pewter flatware, Mottahedeh salad plate. Chanel Spring/Summer 2011, photo by Dan Lecca.
Above: Mottahedeh Carp platter, bowl and plate, Mottahedeh bird figurine, Mottahedeh Tobacco sugar bowl, Royal Crown Derby cup & saucer. Christopher Kane Spring/Summer 2011.
Above: Juliska glasses, Mottahedeh Bird tureen, Michael Wainwright charger, plate and dessert plate, Mottahedeh pot de crème, Match pewter spoon. Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2011, photo by Dan Lecca.
Herend Teapot, Versace cup & saucer, Mottehedeh Chelsea soup bowl, Mottahedeh tray, Aram sugar bowl, Anna Weatherley butterflies. Mary Katranzou Spring/Summer 2011.
Above: Donna Karan singing bowl, Mottahedeh Leaping Reindeer tray as salad plate, Bernardaud Vegetal plate, Moser glasses, Bernardaud Vegetal cup & saucer, Equis Sequoia flatware. Carolina Herrera Spring/Summer 2011, photo by Dan Lecca.
Top image: Mottahedeh Imperial Blue soup bowl, Jaune de Chrome Tortoise plate, Juliska sauce bowls, Mottahedeh Blue Dragon salad plate, Donna Karan chopsticks, Mottahedeh Imperial Blue desert plate, Jaune de Chrome cup & saucer. Rodarte photo by Dan Lecca.
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